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An American(a) Tale

“I charted a pretty casual route down the east coast, through the southern states, and back up the west to Seattle… I always thought it would be really fun to visit Dollywood because it’s such an unusual and specific place.”

- Eleanor Cleverly, road tripper, on her Parton pilgrimage

Eleanor (@cleverlyeleanor) took a leap of faith when she decided to take a cross country journey from Boston to Seattle with no real end plan in place. Along the way, with country, bluegrass, and americana music at her back, Eleanor not only covered new territory, but also tapped into a deep new understanding in an unexpected spot. Entering Dollywood, she expected to find an amusing experience, but not a profound one. To her surprise, surrounded by Dolly’s sense of humor at every turn, Eleanor found her own sense of self.

Post road trip, Eleanor settled in Seattle but, without a job or apartment, she wondered if it would turn into the home she wanted it to be. A few months later, she is happily rooted in both (a job at Amazon—her own 9 to 5—and an apartment in Capitol Hill). She’s proud to be writing her Pacific Northwest narrative in her new home, starting with her Hatch Show Print Dolly poster—the piece that punctuated such a personal journey.

Eleanor, we hope you always look back fondly on your trip and remember this special “season of [your] youth.”

Framebridge: custom framing for wanderers who are not lost (just on a journey)